Bishopthorpe Community Orchard and Heritage project
This is a Heritage Lottery funded project which aims to highlight Bishopthorpe’s orchard heritage and create a new community orchard for the village. The project runs from 1 November 2018 to 31 October 2019.
At the end of January we made a big step forward in our plans to create a Community Orchard on derelict land on the edge of the Ferry Lane playing field. Over 40 people came along on a Saturday afternoon to help, over half of whom were children. Particular thanks go to the 1st Bishopthorpe Scouts, White Rose Football Club and their families who all worked so hard. We filled a skip with all the rubbish and made a big pile of rusty metal which went for recycling. A huge metal goal post, which had lain embedded in the ground for many years, was pulled out in a real team effort! There was so much enthusiasm for the task, that all the brambles were cleared too, which means we don’t need to pay for a tractor and flail! The next stage is to get the site levelled and reseeded with grasses and wildflowers this spring.
There is one more fruit tree pruning training event coming up on Sunday 3 March, 2pm to 4pm, led by fruit tree experts, Tony Chalcraft and Jane Thurlow. This will be held in a garden on Copmanthorpe Lane. There will be a brief indoor session followed by a demonstration of the basics of pruning, with the opportunity to have a go yourself. The event is free but booking is required as numbers are limited.
For more information about the project, including the newsletter and forthcoming events, use the ‘orchard’ tag on www.bishopthorpe.net. To contact the project please email bishorchard@yahoo.com or phone 07563 798408.